11/08/2019 16:56

Andorra to pass the one thousand mark

[IMG=18201-3675] The supply of air services to Andorra is expected to increase in the forthcoming winter. This was told to BANKO correspondent by experts in this destination on October 31st. By their estimates, this time the number of seats will exceed 1200, 350 more than in the previous year. The increase is first of all due to Ascent Travel’s own weekly Boeing 757 charter flights with VIM Avia and, second, to expansion in other players’ programs. In particular, both Natali Tours (Transaero Airlines) and Neva (KD Avia) intend to have two flights per week (instead of one). Further, VKO Travel still puts up two Boeing 757s with VIM Avia. The general picture will not be altered even by the fact that Ancodes has somewhat reduced its volumes by changing Boeing 757 with VIM Avia for Boeing 737 with KD Avia, and that Vremya Tour, which a year ago put up its charter with Krasair, has joined the ranks of block charterers, Natali and VKO Travel. Operators explain their decision to add boards by growing demand for Andorra. ‘This summer the flows to Spain increased 15%, suggesting that we may expect a rise in the demand for Andorra,’ – says, for instance, Tatiana Chuvilkina, Deputy General Director of Natali Tours. In addition, according to experts, sales exhibit a good depth at the moment. “We have already sold two-thirds of seats for December 30 and one-fourth for January 2,” – notes Boris Bogdanov, Charter Department Director of Ascent Travel. And Neva’s Spanish destination manager Irina Abdulova believes that Andorra will attract tourists due to increased prices for other European mountain ski destinations and by improved conditions for skiing in the country. Yet, in the last season the market experienced a “flare-up” on Andorran air. Prices for this destination visibly rose, and these formerly economy tours leveled up in terms of the cost with packages for other mountain ski resorts. As a result, the demand declined. Therefore, many experts currently do not think that it would make sense to expand air services to Andorra. ‘Ticket prices have raised again; while a year ago they cost for us $235, now they cost $310,’ states Alexander Skalin, General Director of Vremya Tour. Players also fear dumping as they remember how ticket prices fell by half last January.